Moving Yourself in Space and Time: MYSTIC

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

Researchers will test a complex rhythmic movement sequence (CRMS) rehabilitation approach to see how people with Parkinson's disease and other older adults learn and perform movement patterns guided by musical cues. The study will compare individuals with Parkinson's, mild cognitive impairment, and those without these conditions to understand differences in learning tempo and movement control. The goal is to identify how spatial and temporal aspects of movement are learned with music and to refine music-based rehabilitation for neurodegenerative disorders. Musical rhythm cues can be delivered through touch or hearing, and the intervention centers on STEAM-based training during walking tasks. The study uses a novel set of musical patterns designed to facilitate learning of complex spatiotemporal rhythms.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria for Young adults and adults with normal cognition (NC):

* 18 to 35 Years old
* Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 26 to 30

Inclusion Criteria for Older Adults:

* 50 to 79 with or without MCI
* 50 to 79 years old with Parkinson's disease (PD), who do NOT have impaired decision-making capacity
* Participants who achieve less than 150 minutes moderate or 75 minutes vigorous aerobic activity per week (as per the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)),

Exclusion Criteria for all groups:

* Acute medical illness requiring hospitalization;
* Uncontrolled congestive heart failure;
* History of stroke in the past three years;
* Inability to perform study procedures;
* Medical or physical conditions that would preclude participation (e.g., severe arthritis or mobility problems, uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes, renal failure, history of angina with activity);
* On medications that could adversely affect cognition, e.g., antipsychotics, opioids, stimulants, chemotherapy, and neurologic prescriptions to treat Multiple Sclerosis. When applicable, enrollment will be delayed until dosages are stable on e.g., Aricept, Namenda, anticholinesterase inhibitors, for at least 3 months
* Psychotic disorders
* Confounding neurologic conditions \[e.g., active central nervous system (CNS) opportunistic infections, seizure disorders, head injury with loss of consciousness \>30 minutes, intracranial neoplasms, stroke with neurological or neuropsychiatric sequelae\]
* Substance Use Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder within six months of evaluation.
* Inability to provide informed consent

Where it's running

• Emory University, Executive Park, Wesley Woods
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Madeleine E. Hackney, PhD — Emory University
• Study coordinator: Madeleine E. Hackney, PhD
• Email: mehackn@emory.edu
• Phone: 314-412-4852

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Automated language analysis to help diagnose neurodegenerative diseases

  A multilingual AI-powered language test is being tried to see if speech and language patterns can help differentiate Alzheimer’s, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, and Parkinson’s from healthy aging.

  Recruiting Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA · Bari · NCT07906769

• Brain alpha-synuclein PET imaging in Parkinson's patients and healthy seniors

  This open-label study tests a radioactive tracer called [18F]MK-0947 to see how it behaves in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease compared with healthy elderly volunteers.

  Recruiting Phase 1 XingImaging, LLC · New Haven, Connecticut · NCT07880379

• Parkinson’s self-sufficiency and rehabilitation in a Czech spa setting

  This intervention tests whether a Czech self-sufficiency test can be used with people with Parkinson’s disease and sees how spa-based rehabilitation affects independence, cognition, balance, and walking.

  Recruiting Palacky University · Olomouc · NCT07872202

• Imaging PD progression with [18F]AV-133 using high- and standard-resolution PET

  This study tests how [18F]AV-133 PET imaging changes over 12 months in people with Parkinson's disease and a small group of healthy controls.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research · New Haven, Connecticut · NCT07830654

• Microelectrode-based brain stimulation for Parkinson’s and essential tremor

  This early feasibility test checks a new microelectrode-based brain stimulation method in adults with Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor who are already getting deep brain stimulation implants.

  Recruiting Lund University · Lund, Skåne County · NCT07820189

• Sleep and adaptive DBS in Parkinson’s disease

  This study tests whether adjusting adaptive deep brain stimulation during sleep can improve sleep quality and brain activity in people with Parkinson’s disease who already have DBS.

  Recruiting University of Colorado, Denver · Aurora, Colorado · NCT07808346

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.